France: Assad regime leads to the growth of extremism

The permanent representative of France to the UN, François Delattre, said that Paris believes that Syrian President Bashar Assad has no place in the future of the country, and the influence of extremist groups on its territory will continue to grow as long as he has power. 

"It is a mistake to think that Bashar al-Assad could be an alternative to terrorism. It does not make sense," TASS cited the diplomat. 

The Syrian crisis, as the permanent representative of France emphasized, can only be resolved by political means. "We need to find a solution that will respect the integrity of Syria and the interests of all communities in the country. France is working on this with our partners, including Russia and Arab countries. But this solution has no place for Bashar al-Assad, as well as certain representatives of regime," the diplomat said. 

According to Delattre, the international community should support the moderate opposition in Syria, seeking its cohesion at the NCSROS court (The National Coalition for Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces). 

The diplomat expressed his support for the efforts of the special envoy of the UN Secretary General on Syria, Staffan de Mistura, who is actively seeking a ceasefire in Aleppo. "But let's face it, France expressed skepticism regarding the initiative. Bashar al-Assad is proposing truces, while at the same time he is stepping up his bombing campaigns," Delattre said.